The present invention relates to the delivery of biologically active molecules to cells. Specifically, the invention relates to compounds, compositions and methods for delivering nucleic acids, polynucleotides, and oligonucleotides such RNA, DNA and analogs thereof, peptides, polypeptides, proteins, antibodies, hormones and small molecules, to cells by facilitating transport across cellular membranes in, for example, epithelial tissues and endothelial tissues. The compounds, compositions and methods of the invention are useful in therapeutic, research, and diagnostic applications that rely upon the efficient transfer of biologically active molecules into cells, tissues, and organs. The discussion is provided only for understanding of the invention that follows. This summary is not an admission that any of the work described below is prior art to the claimed invention.
The cellular delivery of various therapeutic compounds, such as antiviral and chemotherapeutic agents, is usually compromised by two limitations. First the selectivity of a number of therapeutic agents is often low, resulting in high toxicity to normal tissues. Secondly, the trafficking of many compounds into living cells is highly restricted by the complex membrane systems of the cell. Specific transporters allow the selective entry of nutrients or regulatory molecules, while excluding most exogenous molecules such as nucleic acids and proteins. Various strategies can be used to improve transport of compounds into cells, including the use of lipid carriers, biodegradable polymers, and various conjugate systems.
The most well studied approaches for improving the transport of foreign nucleic acids into cells involve the use of viral vectors or cationic lipids and related cytofectins. Viral vectors can be used to transfer genes efficiently into some cell types, but they generally cannot be used to introduce chemically synthesized molecules into cells. An alternative approach is to use delivery formulations incorporating cationic lipids, which interact with nucleic acids through one end and lipids or membrane systems through another (for a review see Felgner, 1990, Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 5, 162-187; Felgner 1993, J. Liposome Res., 3, 3-16). Synthetic nucleic acids as well as plasmids can be delivered using the cytofectins, although the utility of such compounds is often limited by cell-type specificity, requirement for low serum during transfection, and toxicity.
Another approach to delivering biologically active molecules involves the use of conjugates. Conjugates are often selected based on the ability of certain molecules to be selectively transported into specific cells, for example via receptor-mediated endocytosis. By attaching a compound of interest to molecules that are actively transported across the cellular membranes, the effective transfer of that compound into cells or specific cellular organelles can be realized. Alternately, molecules that are able to penetrate cellular membranes without active transport mechanisms, for example, various lipophilic molecules, can be used to deliver compounds of interest. Examples of molecules that can be utilized as conjugates include but are not limited to peptides, hormones, fatty acids, vitamins, flavonoids, sugars, reporter molecules, reporter enzymes, chelators, porphyrins, intercalcators, and other molecules that are capable of penetrating cellular membranes, either by active transport or passive transport.
The delivery of compounds to specific cell types, for example, cancer cells or cells specific to particular tissues and organs, can be accomplished by utilizing receptors associated with specific cell types. Particular receptors are overexpressed in certain cancerous cells, including the high affinity folic acid receptor. For example, the high affinity folate receptor is a tumor marker that is overexpressed in a variety of neoplastic tissues, including breast, ovarian, cervical, colorectal, renal, and nasoparyngeal tumors, but is expressed to a very limited extent in normal tissues. The use of folic acid based conjugates to transport exogenous compounds across cell membranes can provide a targeted delivery approach to the treatment and diagnosis of disease and can provide a reduction in the required dose of therapeutic compounds. Furthermore, therapeutic bioavailability, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetic parameters can be modulated through the use of bioconjugates, including folate bioconjugates. Godwin et al., 1972, J. Biol. Chem., 247, 2266-2271, report the synthesis of biologically active pteroyloligo-L-glutamates. Habus et al., 1998, Bioconjugate Chem., 9, 283-291, describe a method for the solid phase synthesis of certain oligonucleotide-folate conjugates. Cook, U.S. Pat. No. 6,721,208, describes certain oligonucleotides modified with specific conjugate groups. The use of biotin and folate conjugates to enhance transmembrane transport of exogenous molecules, including specific oligonucleotides has been reported by Low et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,416,016, 5,108,921, and International PCT publication No. WO 90/12096. Manoharan et al., International PCT publication No. WO 99/66063 describe certain folate conjugates, including specific nucleic acid folate conjugates with a phosphoramidite moiety attached to the nucleic acid component of the conjugate, and methods for the synthesis of these folate conjugates. Nomura et al., 2000, J. Org. Chem., 65, 5016-5021, describe the synthesis of an intermediate, alpha-[2-(trimethylsilyl)ethoxycarbonyl]folic acid, useful in the synthesis of ceratin types of folate-nucleoside conjugates. Guzaev et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,434, describes the synthesis of certain folate oligonucleotide conjugates. Vargeese et al., International PCT Publication No. WO 02/094185 and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 20030130186 and 20040110296 describe certain nucleic acid conjugates.
The delivery of compounds to other cell types can be accomplished by utilizing receptors associated with a certain type of cell, such as hepatocytes. For example, drug delivery systems utilizing receptor-mediated endocytosis have been employed to achieve drug targeting as well as drug-uptake enhancement. The asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPr) (see for example Wu and Wu, 1987, J. Biol. Chem. 262, 4429-4432) is unique to hepatocytes and binds branched galactose-terminal glycoproteins, such as asialoorosomucoid (ASOR). Binding of such glycoproteins or synthetic glycoconjugates to the receptor takes place with an affinity that strongly depends on the degree of branching of the oligosaccharide chain, for example, triatennary structures are bound with greater affinity than biatenarry or monoatennary chains (Baenziger and Fiete, 1980, Cell, 22, 611-620; Connolly et al., 1982, J. Biol. Chem., 257, 939-945). Lee and Lee, 1987, Glycoconjugate J., 4, 317-328, obtained this high specificity through the use of N-acetyl-D-galactosamine as the carbohydrate moiety, which has higher affinity for the receptor, compared to galactose. This “clustering effect” has also been described for the binding and uptake of mannosyl-terminating glycoproteins or glycoconjugates (Ponpipom et al., 1981, J. Med. Chem., 24, 1388-1395). The use of galactose and galactosamine based conjugates to transport exogenous compounds across cell membranes can provide a targeted delivery approach to the treatment of liver disease such as HBV and HCV infection or hepatocellular carcinoma. The use of bioconjugates can also provide a reduction in the required dose of therapeutic compounds required for treatment. Furthermore, therapeutic bioavailability, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetic parameters can be modulated through the use of bioconjugates.
A number of peptide based cellular transporters have been developed by several research groups. These peptides are capable of crossing cellular membranes in vitro and in vivo with high efficiency. Examples of such fusogenic peptides include a 16-amino acid fragment of the homeodomain of ANTENNAPEDIA, a Drosophila transcription factor (Wang et al., 1995, PNAS USA., 92, 3318-3322); a 17-mer fragment representing the hydrophobic region of the signal sequence of Kaposi fibroblast growth factor with or without NLS domain (Antopolsky et al., 1999, Bioconj. Chem., 10, 598-606); a 17-mer signal peptide sequence of caiman crocodylus Ig(5) light chain (Chaloin et al., 1997, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm., 243, 601-608); a 17-amino acid fusion sequence of HIV envelope glycoprotein gp4114, (Morris et al., 1997, Nucleic Acids Res., 25, 2730-2736); the HIV-1 Tat49-57 fragment (Schwarze et al., 1999, Science, 285, 1569-1572); a transportan A—achimeric 27-mer consisting of N-terminal fragment of neuropeptide galanine and membrane interacting wasp venom peptide mastoporan (Lindgren et al., 2000, Bioconjugate Chem., 11, 619-626); and a 24-mer derived from influenza virus hemagglutinin envelop glycoprotein (Bongartz et al., 1994, Nucleic Acids Res., 22, 4681-4688). These peptides were successfully used as part of an antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotide-peptide conjugate for cell culture transfection without lipids. In a number of cases, such conjugates demonstrated better cell culture efficacy then parent oligonucleotides transfected using lipid delivery. In addition, use of phage display techniques has identified several organ targeting and tumor targeting peptides in vivo (Ruoslahti, 1996, Ann. Rev. Cell Dev. Biol., 12, 697-715). Conjugation of tumor targeting peptides to doxorubicin has been shown to significantly improve the toxicity profile and has demonstrated enhanced efficacy of doxorubicin in the in vivo murine cancer model MDA-MB-435 breast carcinoma (Arap et al., 1998, Science, 279, 377-380).
Another approach to the intracellular delivery of biologically active molecules involves the use of cationic polymers. For example, Ryser et al., International PCT Publication No. WO 79/00515 describes the use of high molecular weight lysine polymers for increasing the transport of various molecules across cellular membranes. Rothbard et al., International PCT Publication No. WO 98/52614, describes certain methods and compositions for transporting drugs and macromolecules across biological membranes in which the drug or macromolecule is covalently attached to a transport polymer consisting of from 6 to 25 subunits, at least 50% of which contain a guanidino or amidino side chain. The transport polymers are preferably polyarginine peptides composed of all D-, all L- or mixtures of D- and L-arginine. Rothbard et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20030082356, describes certain poly-lysine and poly-arginine compounds for the delivery of drugs and other agents across epithelial tissues, including the skin, gastrointestinal tract, pulmonary epithelium and blood brain barrier. Wendel et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20030032593, describes certain polyarginine compounds. Rothbard et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20030022831, describes certain poly-lysine and poly-arginine compounds for intra-ocular delivery of drugs. Kosak, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20010034333, describes certain cyclodextran polymers compositions that include a cross-linked cationic polymer component. Beigelman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,395,713; Reynolds et al., International PCT Publication No. WO 99/04819; Beigelman et al., International PCT Publication No. WO 99/05094; and Beigelman et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20030073640 describe certain lipid based formulations.
Another approach to the intracellular delivery of biologically active molecules involves the use of liposomes or other particle forming compositions. Since the first description of liposomes in 1965, by Bangham (J. Mol. Biol. 13, 238-252), there has been a sustained interest and effort in the area of developing lipid-based carrier systems for the delivery of pharmaceutically active compounds. Liposomes are attractive drug carriers since they protect biological molecules from degradation while improving their cellular uptake. One of the most commonly used classes of liposome formulations for delivering polyanions (e.g., DNA) is that which contains cationic lipids. Lipid aggregates can be formed with macromolecules using cationic lipids alone or including other lipids and amphiphiles such as phosphatidylethanolamine. It is well known in the art that both the composition of the lipid formulation as well as its method of preparation have effect on the structure and size of the resultant anionic macromolecule-cationic lipid aggregate. These factors can be modulated to optimize delivery of polyanions to specific cell types in vitro and in vivo. The use of cationic lipids for cellular delivery of biologically active molecules has several advantages. The encapsulation of anionic compounds using cationic lipids is essentially quantitative due to electrostatic interaction. In addition, it is believed that the cationic lipids interact with the negatively charged cell membranes initiating cellular membrane transport (Akhtar et al., 1992, Trends Cell Bio., 2, 139; Xu et al., 1996, Biochemistry 35, 5616).
Experiments have shown that plasmid DNA can be encapsulated in small particles that consist of a single plasmid encapsulated within a bilayer lipid vesicle (Wheeler, et al., 1999, Gene Therapy 6, 271-281). These particles typically contain the fusogenic lipid dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), low levels of a cationic lipid, and can be stabilized in aqueous media by the presence of a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) coating. These particles have systemic applications as they exhibit extended circulation lifetimes following intravenous (i.v.) injection, can accumulate preferentially in various tissues and organs or tumors due to the enhanced vascular permeability in such regions, and can be designed to escape the lyosomic pathway of endocytosis by disruption of endosomal membranes. These properties can be useful in delivering biologically active molecules to various cell types for experimental and therapeutic applications. For example, the effective use of nucleic acid technologies such as short interfering RNA (siRNA), antisense, ribozymes, decoys, triplex forming oligonucleotides, 2-5A oligonucleotides, and aptamers in vitro and in vivo may benefit from efficient delivery of these compounds across cellular membranes. Lewis et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20030125281, describes certain compositions consisting of the combination of siRNA, certain amphipathic compounds, and certain polycations. MacLachlan, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20030077829, describes certain lipid based formulations. MacLachlan, International PCT Publication No. WO 05/007196, describes certain lipid encapsulated interfering RNA formulations. Vargeese et al., International PCT Publication No. WO2005007854 describes certain polycationic compositions for the cellular delivery of polynucleotides. McSwiggen et al., International PCT Publication Nos. WO 05/019453, WO 03/70918, WO 03/74654 and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 20050020525 and 20050032733, describes short interfering nucleic acid molecules (siNA) and various technologies for the delivery of siNA molecules and other polynucleotides.
In addition, recent work involving cationic lipid particles demonstrated the formation of two structurally different complexes comprising nucleic acid (or other polyanionic compound) and cationic lipid (Safinya et al., Science, 281: 78-81 (1998). One structure comprises a multilamellar structure with nucleic acid monolayers sandwiched between cationic lipid bilayers (“lamellar structure”) (FIG. 7). A second structure comprises a two dimensional hexagonal columnar phase structure (“inverted hexagonal structure”) in which nucleic acid molecules are encircled by cationic lipid in the formation of a hexagonal structure (FIG. 7). Safinya et al. demonstrated that the inverted hexagonal structure transfects mammalian cells more efficiently than the lamellar structure. Further, optical microscopy studies showed that the complexes comprising the lamellar structure bind stably to anionic vesicles without fusing to the vesicles, whereas the complexes comprising the inverted hexagonal structure are unstable and rapidly fuse to the anionic vesicles, releasing the nucleic acid upon fusion.
The structural transformation from lamellar phase to inverted hexagonal phase complexes is achieved either by incorporating a suitable helper lipid that assists in the adoption of an inverted hexagonal structure or by using a co-surfactant, such as hexanol. However, neither of these transformation conditions are suitable for delivery in biological systems. Furthermore, while the inverted hexagonal complex exhibits greater transfection efficiency, it has very poor serum stability compared to the lamellar complex. Thus, there remains a need to design delivery agents that are serum stable, i.e. stable in circulation, that can undergo structural transformation, for example from lamellar phase to inverse hexagonal phase, under biological conditions.
The present application provides compounds, compositions and methods for significantly improving the efficiency of systemic and local delivery of biologically active molecules. Among other things, the present application provides compounds, compositions and methods for making and using novel delivery agents that are stable in circulation and undergo structural changes under appropriate physiological conditions (e.g., pH) which increase the efficiency of delivery of biologically active molecules.